On May 14, 1967, Patrol Inspector (Trainee) Richard A. Lugo and Patrol Inspector (Trainee) Bruce A. Plaskett were assigned to maintain signcutting drag strips and to deliver tire drags to selected sites. They were enroute from their official station, Yuma, Arizona, to Andrade, California, traveling north on Levee Road at approximately 40 miles per hour. Without advance indication that anything was wrong, the right rear tire of the 1966 International Scout suddenly deflated causing the rear end of the vehicle to swerve radically. Inspector Lugo lost control of the vehicle which skidded and overturned. The vehicle came to rest on its left side with the top crushed in almost to the level of the body. Trainee Lugo was killed instantly, his head having been crushed when the vehicle overturned.